Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for anorexia nervosa: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Eating Disorders

Background:

• Evidence for psychological therapies in anorexia nervosa (AN) is mixed.
• Systematic reviews focusing solely on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for AN are lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and appraise recent evidence on the effectiveness of CBT for AN.
• To evaluate CBT's efficacy as a standalone or adjunctive treatment for anorexia nervosa.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of 16 relevant articles evaluating CBT for AN.
• Inclusion of randomized and non-randomized trials using various CBT formats.
• Quality appraisal of studies using established criteria.

Main Results:

• CBT demonstrated effectiveness in improving treatment adherence and minimizing dropout in AN patients.
• CBT showed some improvements in body mass index, eating disorder symptoms, and psychopathology.
• CBT was not consistently superior to alternative treatments like dietary counseling or interpersonal therapy.

Conclusions:

• Current evidence suggests CBT is beneficial for AN treatment adherence and dropout rates.
• Further research is required to determine optimal settings, patient groups, and formats for CBT in AN treatment.
• Methodological limitations in existing studies necessitate ongoing evaluation and research.